Windows 11 outperforms every prior version of Windows in practically every aspect. However, several Windows 11 customers have lately reported lag or stuttering difficulties (a few seconds delay) while playing 4K videos on the device. There have been reports of lag only while playing a video using a certain player. Some additional customers are experiencing this issue across numerous video players who need an obvious solution. Even if the nature of the problem is not important, it might not be very enjoyable for some. For example, if your job requires you to watch 4K videos, you may need to fix it. As a result, before we go into fixing the issue, let’s first figure out what’s causing it. Some of the probable causes of this 4K video not playing on Windows 11 issue are.
1 – Out of date graphics drivers.
2 – Windows must be updated to date with the latest updates.
3 – Playing video files using an out-of-date media player.
4 – Inadequate System Configuration.
5 – Video file corruption.
6 – Incorrect media player settings.
7 – Malware Infection.
Make sure there is anything to fix before attempting any of the fixes. Sometimes the video lags for no apparent issue other than a lack of resources. For example, if your PC has too many programs running and you aren’t using a high-end system, close any programs that aren’t necessary. Also, if the video lags in the browser’s Picture-in-Picture mode, Windows 11 prioritizes foreground processes. In this scenario, adjust your FPS to 60 and see if that makes a difference.
But if you still have problems, it’s time to attempt these fixes. Because there are multiple possible causes for the problem, you may need to do more than one of the fixes on the list to verify you have fully removed the problem from your Windows PC.
4K Video Not Playing On Windows 11? How To Fix
Ensure You’re Running The Latest Iteration Of Windows
Typically, Windows handles the updates. However, there may be situations when an update needs your action to be installed, or automatic updates have been disabled. In any case, ensuring that your PC runs the most recent version of Windows is straightforward.
1 – Go to the Start Menu first to see whether you have any outstanding updates. Then, to continue, click on the ‘Settings’ title located beneath the ‘Pinned apps’ section. Alternatively, put Settings into the search box to find it.
2 – To begin, locate and click on the ‘Windows Update‘ option on the left sidebar of the Settings window.
3 – You will now be able to view the available updates on the right section of the screen (if any). Click the ‘Check for Updates’ button if no updates are available. Otherwise, click the ‘Restart Now’ option to restart your computer and apply the downloaded updates.
After updating, try playing the 4K video on your Windows 11 PC again to see if the problem remains.
Update Graphics Drivers
Your graphics driver is outdated, hence not providing the silky smooth playing of your 4K video on Windows 11. As a result, updating it may be enough.
1 – Go to the Search option and enter Device management in the search field. Next, click on the title ‘Device Manager’ from the search results to open it.
2 – You may also use the ‘Run’ command to open Device Manager. To open Device Manager in this manner, simultaneously press the Windows+R buttons on your keyboard to bring up the Run command tool. Then, on your keyboard, enter devmgmt.msc and press Enter to open it.
3 – On the ‘Device Manager’ window, locate the ‘Display adapters’ option and click on the arrow before the option to expand the section. Then, from the context menu, right-click on your main graphic card (if you have more than one) and select the ‘Update driver’ option. This will open a new window on your screen.
4 – From the newly opened window, click the ‘Search automatically for drivers’ option to automatically allow Windows to search for and install a driver on your system.
5 – If you have previously downloaded the driver package, click the ‘Browse my computer for drivers’ option to open a File Explorer window and manually browse the file.
After updating, restart your system and attempt to play the file again to see whether this fix fixed the problem for you.
Change Power Plan Settings
If you use a portable computer, Windows enables you to change the power plan based on your current needs to obtain the greatest battery life or the most performance out of your computer. For example, because playing a 4K video consumes many resources, your Windows 11 PC must be in high-performance mode.
1 – To change your system’s current power plan, go to the Start Menu ad and click on the ‘Settings’ title beneath the ‘Pinned apps’ section.
2 – Next, ensure that you have selected the ‘System’ option on the left sidebar of the Settings window.
3 – Next, from the right section of the window, scroll down to locate and click the ‘Power & battery’ title from the list.
4 – On the next screen, click on the dropdown menu on the far right side of the ‘Power mode’ title beneath the ‘Power’ section. Then, from the list, select the ‘Best performance’ option.
After you’ve updated your computer’s power mode, relaunch the video in your preferred media player, and you should see a difference.
Switch From Integrated Graphics Card To Dedicated Graphics Card
This approach will only work if your system has more than one graphics card installed. Generally, all new laptop computers contain an integrated graphics card for low-intensity apps and one specialized graphics card for handling even the most demanding jobs. As a result, if nothing else has worked so far, you may use this fix to ensure that you provide all of the power required to play the video smoothly.
1 – To enable hardware acceleration for your video player, open the app by going to the Start Menu and clicking on the ‘Settings’ title icon pinned to the menu. To open the app, press the Windows+I keys on your keyboard simultaneously.
2 – To continue, make sure you have selected the ‘System’ option on the left sidebar of the Settings window.
3 – Next, locate and click on the ‘Display’ title from the list of options on the right section of the screen.
4 – On the ‘Display’ settings page, scroll down to find and click the ‘Graphics’ title under the ‘Related settings’ section.
5 – On the ‘Graphics’ settings page, find the search field under the ‘Custom options for apps’ section and enter the name of the video player you want to use to play the file. You may also manually scroll down the list to locate the app.
6 – Once found, click the media player option to change its default graphics card. A few options will be shown. Next, click the ‘Options’ button, which is located in the bottom right corner of the app title. This will bring a new overlay window to your screen.
7 – From the overlay window, click on the radio button next to the ‘High performance’ option to select the dedicated graphics driver rather than the integrated one. Then, click the ‘ Save’ option to apply the changes and close the window.
After that, if the app was already open, close it and replay the file. The video should now replay more smoothly than previously.
Conclusion:
That’s all there is to it; this article will assist you in resolving the issue of a 4K video not playing on your Windows 11 PC.
